Case Study on Psalm 121 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case Study on Psalm 121 - Term Paper Example These psalms could also have been written during the days of Hezekiah when the Assyrians were threatening the security of Judea and Jerusalem3. The Psalms of Ascent are called the hymns of the stairs because they were said to have been sung while the pilgrim was going up and down the stairs of the Temple of Jerusalem4. The reason for this is that either the One of these psalms is Psalm 121, or â€Å"a song of ascents†6 which contains metaphors describing Divine intervention at the time of threats in our lives. During the post-exilic period, a new identity of Judaism was emerging and brewing at the Temple in Jerusalem. In Psalm 121, the first-person narrator is the ancient pilgrim who has experienced various human problems and who is now on his way to Jerusalem7. This pilgrim longs for Jerusalem itself8. Psalm 121 employs particular poetic devices that further reveal the message of assurance of God’s protection. The use of the statements, â€Å"He will not let your foot slip,†9 and â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep†10 are metaphors that reveal the assurance of God. The first one – â€Å"He will not let your foot slip† – is about God not allowing a human being to put himself in danger. Oftentimes, people do things that put them in trouble and sometimes tend to make choices that would eventually harm them. However, God assures, through Psalm 121, that He will not allow this to happen. This also implies that although God has granted man free will, it does not mean that He would allow man to make choices that will put him in danger. Moreover, the line â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber. Moreover, the line which says â€Å"he who watches over Israel will neither slumber not sleep† – implies that God sees everything and that He does not blink at all so that He would some small detail escape His sight and scrutiny, and He does this to assure the pilgrim that he is always watched over, guarded and